DSWT Community Outreach Report February 2016

COMMUNITY OUTREACH MONTHLY REPORT FEBRUARY 2016 SUMMARY: In February 2016, the DSWT sponsored five children for secondary education, donated sports equipment to several schools within the Tsavo Conservation Area, carried out seven fully sponsored school trips for schools to Tsavo West National Park, hosted three wildlife video shows, and installed fourteen additional beehives on the new elephant-beehive fence in the Kyusiani community bordering Tsavo East.

FEBRUARY 2016 SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS

In February, the DSWT carried out seven school trips for 175 children from the Kibwezi and Mtito-Andei area, taking them for a day excursion to Tsavo West National Park.

These trips are aimed at giving school children from impoverished communities an opportunity to learn about nature in outside the classroom.

During each trip, 25 school children are accompanied by three teachers and guided through the Park by the DSWT’s education officer and bus driver. Participating students are equipped with the DSWT field guide booklet detailing literature on the park they are visiting and a spotter’s guide of the wildlife they can see.

SCHOOL TRIPS Usalama Primary 1

DATE 12th Feb, 2016

Usalama Primary School 2 Muusini Primary 1

13th Feb, 2016

Muusini Primary 2

17th Feb, 2016

Usalama Secondary 1

18th Feb, 2016

Kyandulu Primary 1

22nd Feb, 2016 24th Feb, 2016

Kyandulu Primary 2 TOTAL

15th Feb, 2016

PARK VISITED Tsavo West National Park Tsavo West National Park Tsavo West National Park Tsavo West National Park Tsavo West National Park Tsavo West National Park Tsavo West National Park

STUDENTS 25

TEACHERS 3

25

3

25

3

25

3

25

3

25

3

25

3

175

21

FEBRUARY 2016 BEEHIVE FENCES

In February, the Community Outreach team recorded 4 new bee occupations in the first beehive fence DSWT installed at Iviani, which is a very positive sign.

Additionally, the team installed another 16 beehives on a new elephant-beehive fence in Kyusiani village, which is likewise experiencing conflict with elephants breaking into farms and raiding crops.

Following the same successful template as the first fence in Iviani village, the community in Kyusiani will look after their fence and their bees in turn reaping financial rewards from the sale of honey whilst protecting their farms and crops from wildlife damage.

FEBRUARY 2016 WILDLIFE FILM SHOWS

The DSWT takes several different approaches in educating school children about the importance of environmental conservation. Wildlife film shows made in easy to understand Swahili is a better way of reaching a larger population of students, teachers and parents in one go.

In February the DSWT hosted three wildlife film shows in three different schools in the Kibwezi and Mtito-Andei areas.

The team showed a documentary entitled ‘Endangered Heritage’ which explains the threats of poaching and the illegal bush meat trade, with a focus on the Mara ecosystem. During every film show session there is also an interactive session after the viewing where the audience and the DSWT education officer can discuss what was shown and how it effects everyone in the room and Kenya as a whole.

Name of School Usalama Primary Kyandulu Primary Kamunyu Primary

Date of Film Show 16th Feb, 2016 23rd Feb, 2016 25th Feb, 2016 TOTAL

No. of Audience 380 420 82 882

FEBRUARY 2016 SPORTS DONATIONS

Sports activities can provide many opportunities for children on a social level whilst also giving them an enjoyable and fun extracurricular activity.

Most schools in the TCA cannot afford proper sports equipment for their students, and where possible the DSWT donates a variety of balls, nets and sports accessories. This month the DSWT donated soccer balls, soccer uniforms, netball balls, handball goal nets and volleyball nets to Kamunyu, Mtito-Andei, and Matulani Primary Schools.

Name of School Kamunyu Primary School

Mtito-Andei School

Matulani Primary School

Items                 

16pcs of Soccer Uniforms 1 netball ball 1pc Soccer ball 1pair handball goal nets 6 pcs relays buttons 1 pc netball ball 1 pc basketball 1 pair handball goal nets 1pc of volleyball net 1pc soccer ball 1pair of handball nets 16 pcs of soccer uniform 1 soccer goal keeper uniform 2pcs of netball hoop nets 1 pc basketball 1pc soccer ball 6 relay batons

FEBRUARY 2016 SCHOOL SPONSORSHIPS

Many children living in the Tsavo Conservation Area (TCA) drop out of school after primary school due to financial constraints. The DSWT, working together with Children of Conservation, offered scholarships to five children who were selected based on previous studies, merit and their financial difficulties. The scholarship included school fees, text books, school uniforms, travel costs and pocket money.

To gain good-will amongst the communities where the DSWT works and encourage the support of environmental activities, the children were selected from impoverished areas close to the DSWT’s area of operation. Two children were selected from Mtito-Andei and two from Kibwezi and one from the Ithumba area.

DSWT Secondary Education Scholarship Award List-2016

Name

Gender

Area

Matunda P. Musyoki Daudi Erick Mutisya Damaris Kavwii Ndunda

Male

Mtito-Andei

Male

Kibwezi

Female

Pascaliah Betty Ngala Wayne Muuo Waema

Secondary School

Date reported to school Mbooni Boys School 3rd Feb, 2016 5th Feb, 2016

Mtito-Andei

Makindu Boys School Kasue Girls School

Female

Ithumba

Butere Girls School

9th Feb, 2016

Male

Kibwezi

Nyeri High School

10th Feb, 2016

8th Feb, 2016

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is reliant on your kind support in order to keep our community outreach projects running.

For more information about these projects please visit www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.com/community or email info@dswt.org